Dwight Howard Nickname: Superman Out, Iron Man In
Back To The Drawing Board
“Superman” is dead. That’s the message that Dwight Howard had for reporters last night when asked about the infamous nickname that he shares with Shaquille O’Neal. Looking to shed the comparisons to Shaq once and for all. Howard says he has been thinking about changing his nickname for awhile now and that he thinks he has found a suitable replacement. That replacement nickname? “Iron Man.”
Of course, he’s going to have trouble getting Los Angeles Lakers fans to ride for that one. Former Lakers star A.C. Green was nicknamed Iron Man during his playing days because he played in an NBA record 1,192 straight games.
Life Sized Shaq Paintings On Sale For $3,995
Fine Art
No living room is complete without a life-sized oil painting of Shaq and now you can own a painting of the Big Diesel. The painting is valued at $100,000, but act now and you can own this masterpiece for $3,995 according to the Craigslist post.
Not a fan of Shaquille O’Neal then buy a painting of Magic Johnson, Yao Ming, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, among others.
Charles Barkley Says He’s Interested In Philadelphia 76ers GM Job
Comfortable In Drag
TNT analyst Charles Barkley has told 94WIP Anthony Gargano that he is interested in the Philadelphia 76ers general manger job. Nothing from the 76ers has said Barkley is candidate for the job but that hasn’t stopped him from saying he wants it.
Gargano asked Barkley if the reports he heard were true and Barkley responded via text message “yes sir.”
Will this turn into the debacle from last month down in Orlando with Shaquille O’Neal interviewing for Magic GM job?
Tiger Woods vs Shaq Fu
EA Sports released this ad for their new Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 game. It features a duel between “Crimson Cat” and Shaquille “Swinging Giant” O’Neal.
Orlando Magic Fans Make Stay Dwight Howard Song
The city of Orlando and its Magic fans are gearing up for a begging campaign for center and All-Star center Dwight Howard. The city has been down this road before with Shaquille O’Neal before he jumped to the Los Angeles Lakers so you would think they would have come up with a better song than that.
Shaquille O’Neal Says Steve Nash Not Deserving Of Two MVPs
Shaqeeta Don't Play
Shaquille O’Neal sat down for an interview with Vibe and had a lot to say. Among his targets this time was Phoenix Suns MVP guard Steve Nash as well as Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.
But he’s even critical of himself this time, giving a low grade to his performance as an analyst on TNT’s NBA studio show. He also admited that his move from Orlando to L.A. in 1996 was partially motivated by his aspirations in the entertainment industry.
There’s a long-simmering feud between Shaq and Dwight Howard, which Shaq apparently has no interest in letting go of. He tells Vibe,
“If I played now, I’d be averaging 45 and 19. People always try to compare Dwight Howard to me. There is no comparison?”
Shaq is also miffed that he was named NBA MVP just once, while Nash earned the distinction twice.
“Steve Nash is my boy, but I don’t see how the fuck he got it twice,” Shaw says. “I was taught never to complain because you can’t beat the system. People know who the real dominant guy was.”
Shaq, meanwhile, was asked if the entertainment industry in L.A. factored into his decision to play for the Lakers.
“I went to L.A. for Jerry West and, of course, the opportunities. I was doing music, movies, producing movies,” he tells Vibe. “Best decision I made in my life. …”
“It was a young, medium-level juvenile delinquent fulfilling his dreams. I really never wanted to do an album. ‘Man, I’m not that good’ but Jive gave me $5 million. I couldn’t turn that down. First movie I got was ‘Blue Chips’, $3 million. ‘Kazaam’, $6 million. I’m never turning that stuff down. Ever. When I went into the studio with my favorite rappers, I got their respect. That was enough for me.”
Asked to evaluate his performance on TNT, Shaq said, “I’m at a low ‘C.’ I’m learning and will only get better. I just want to keep people entertained. I don’t want to be talking with the big vocabulary and all that bullshit. I’m short and to the point. I’m very educated and can give you somewhat of a vocabulary, but I don’t get to the philosophical side.”
Sacramento Kings & NBA Close To Arena Financing Deal
Limbo
NBA commissioner David Stern and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced a joint work plan Wednesday for the two sides to reach an agreement to finance a new arena by the March 1 deadline. Johnson, Stern and the Maloof family, which owns the Sacramento Kings, will meet during this weekend’s All-Star festivities in Orlando, Fla.
If the final details are resolved in time, a term sheet will be announced March 1 and the Sacramento City Council will vote on the plan at its March 6 meeting, possibly avoiding the relocation talk that surrounded the team last spring when it almost moved to Anaheim.
“I feel very confident that we as a city are going to be able to do our part,” Johnson said at a late afternoon news conference at City Hall with six council members standing behind him. “The city controls its own destiny.”
The major sticking point in negotiations remains how much the Kings will contribute. Under the proposed agreement, the city of Sacramento will raise about $190 million to $230 million by leasing out parking garages to private investors, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Another $75 million to $100 million is expected from the Kings and $40 million to $60 million from arena operator AEG.
The remaining gap will be covered by some combination of a ticket surcharge, advertising around the arena, allocating a portion of the city’s existing transient occupancy tax or a sale of three or four parcels of city land.
The final price tag for AEG depends largely on the team’s contribution. The Kings portion would include upfront cash and donating back the land around the franchise’s current suburban Sacramento arena, estimated at about $25 million. AEG’s contribution will be impacted by the splits with the team in arena-related revenue.
Johnson and Stern still have some disagreement on how much, if any, of AEG’s portion is included in the Kings’ contribution. Major points for the city also include making sure rates don’t soar if the garages and street parking are sold to private investors, and getting Sacramento County’s agreement to use a parking garage near the arena site.
The two sides are making progress and hope to bridge the gap to finance the estimated $406 million arena, which would open for the 2015-16 season in the downtown Sacramento rail yards. The Kings nearly moved south to Anaheim last year, twice extending the relocation deadline and struggling to gain approval from league owners.
Johnson made a desperate pitch to the NBA Board of Governors last April to give the city a final chance to come up with an arena plan. He also bought time by presenting more than $10 million in commitments for new advertising, ticket purchases and other financial support from regional businesses for this season.
Despite attempts by Anaheim and Seattle to swoop in and lure the Kings, Stern said the league is making every attempt to keep the franchise in California’s capital.
“We appreciate the work of the City of Sacramento and (our) discussions have been constructive,” Stern said in a statement. “Our hope is that current momentum continues in a way that we’re able to reach a deal by March 1 that makes sense for all parties.”
Johnson described the discussions as having “great momentum,” but disagreed with Stern on a key point: the portion of the arena cost that should be counted as coming from the Maloofs.
Stern said in a TNT interview Tuesday that contributions from arena operator AEG should be included as part of the Maloofs’ share, but Johnson was adamant that the city hired AEG and the Maloofs’ contribution should be considered separately.
“This is where a feisty point guard and the commissioner get into a little bit of a spirited discussion,” said Johnson, a former All-Star with the Phoenix Suns. He said he last talked to Stern after the city council meeting Tuesday night.
Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof haven’t been involved in negotiations. The league is bargaining with Sacramento officials on the franchise’s behalf and will present the final proposal to the team.
The NBA could force the Maloofs into bringing in investment partners or even sell the team if the owners walk away from a plan that has the league’s approval.
Southern California billionaire Ron Burkle remains interested in buying the Kings. And Christopher Hansen, a hedge-fund manager based in San Francisco and a Seattle native, is also making proposals to bring an NBA team to Seattle.
The Maloofs insist they’re not selling the team. A Kings spokesman said the team is refraining from comment until the NBA and the city complete a proposed plan.
At the very least, the latest development shows progress. A year ago, Sacramento “needed to sink a full court shot” to keep the Kings from relocating to Anaheim, Johnson said.
“Now I think we’re on the free throw line,” he said. “Shaquille O’Neal is not shooting the free throws for us. We could go with Steve Nash.”
Charles Barkley & Shaquille O’Neal To Draft Rookie Challenge Rosters
Will It Get As Heated As This
The NBA, taking a page from the NHL, is introducing a new format for its Rookie Challenge, the game during All-Star Weekend that has traditionally pitted rookies against second-year players. For the first time, rookies and sophomores will be mixed together on teams, with TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal serving as the general managers and selecting their own nine-man rosters.
The NHL uses a similar format for its All-Star Game, where two team captains draft teams from the list of previously-determined All-Stars. The pool of rookies and sophs from which Barkley and Shaq will draft their teams will be selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches.
That pool of players will be announced Wednesday, and Barkley and Shaq will hold their draft during TNT’s NBA coverage on Thursday, Feb. 16. TNT’s Kenny Smith will serve as the honorary commissioner and Ernie Johnson will host the live BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Draft.
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, named this year by BBVA, the NBA’s bank sponsor, will be held Saturday, Feb. 25 in Orlando, the day before the All-Star Game.
Kobe Bryant Becomes 5th On NBA All-Time Scoring List
Got 5 On It
Philadelphia 76ers Lou Williams nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer, scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and spoiled Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant’s record-setting night in leading his team to a 95-90 victory.
However Lakers Bryant passed former teammate Shaquille O’Neal to become fifth on the all-time scoring list as he scored 24 of his 28 points in the first half. He stumbled down the stretch though of the game and missed nine of his 10 shots in the fourth.
For the record setter, Bryant cut toward the top of the 3-point arc, and took a Matt Barnes pass to hit the 23-footer. Originally called a 3 but Bryant had his foot on the line, it still was enough to pass O’Neal.
The 76ers chose not to acknowledge the achievement.
The relationship between Philly fans and Bryant has been strained since the 2001 NBA finals against the 76ers, when he proclaimed he was “coming to Philly to cut their hearts out.” That began an unforgiving attitude from fans that continues to this day. When commissioner David Stern presented Bryant with the All-Star game MVP trophy in 2002 in Philadelphia, the boos were long and loud, and he later admitted he was hurt.
Robert Horry Says Shaq-Kobe Feud Was All Phil Jackson’s
Lets Gets Some Bacon After The Game
Former NBA star Robert Horry was asked by Sports.ru in Russia if the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant feud could have been avoided. His answer was it was all head coach Phil Jackson’s doing.
I think Phil Jackson started that feud. It happened many times that after team practice he would say, “Kobe said this about Shaq, and Shaq said that about Kobe… We couldn’t believe how could that happen, because just the day before we saw them together, jumping on one another. Phil liked it when there was conflict of some sort.
I always tell people; if you look at those championships, you’ll see who were the closest players on the team. Normally those are the guys who are the first to hug each other. And when we were winning, it was always Shaq and Kobe who hugged. I think this will answer your question. Later it was blown out of proportion by the media and both players started doing something that didn’t make sense.
Shaquille O’Neal Curses On TNT
Well that didn’t take long just a shade under three weeks Shaquille O’Neal has gotten TNT a FCC violation as he dropped a sh*t blast on Inside The NBA last night.
Shaquille O’Neal To Wrestle At Wrestlemania 28
It's A Big World
Former NBA superstar, rapper, actor, and Deputy Shaquille O’Neill revealed in a radio interview this week that he is in negotiations to make his pro wrestling debut in Miami for Wrestlemania 28. Shaq told the Abe Kanan show that he is negotiating with the WWE to go one on one with The Big Show, following up an angle June 2009 on RAW.
“This would mark The Big Show’s second WrestleMania match against a sports celebrity,” the report notes. “Show wrestled boxing great Floyd Mayweather, Jr. at WrestleMania 24 in a match that was a lot better than most people expected it to be.”
The report also goes on to warn that the WWE is not happy that this news has leaked and may reconsider, since the whole point of Shaq showing up was that it would be a surprise. But either way, the The Rock is already set to wrestle John Cena for the big night.
Pat Riley Laughs At Shaquille O’Neal’s Gestapo Comment
The Secret Is Out
Pat Riley appreciates a good sell job and he applauds Shaquille O’Neal’s ability to push books. So when O’Neal in his new book compared Riley practices to “Gestapo conditioning” the former Miami Heat coach can only be bemused by the promotional tool, no matter how offensive.
“He’s marketing. He’s a marketer. He’s just marketing right now,” Riley told the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel before laughing. “That’s all he’s doing. I’m trying to figure out whether or not Hannibal Lecter, the Gestapo or John Gotti, I don’t know which one is worse,” Riley said. “They’re all equally insulting…but Coach is good enough for me.”
LeBron James not spared in Shaquille O’Neal’s new book
Zero Titles Together
If you thought Shaquille O’Neal’s upcoming biography, Shaq Uncut: My Story began and ended with Kobe Bryant, think again. LeBron James is also a target of O’Neal’s tell all.
In an excerpt from the book obtained by Hoops World, Shaq discusses the preferential treatment LeBron received when the two were teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers:
LeBron was a huge star. He was as big as I was in 2000 in L.A. when I was dominating the league. … Our coach, Mike Brown, was a nice guy, but he had to live on edge because nobody was supposed to be confrontational with LeBron. Nobody wanted him to leave Cleveland, so he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do.
I remember one day in a film session LeBron didn’t get back on defense after a missed shot. Mike Brown didn’t say anything about it. He went to the next clip and it was Mo Williams not getting back and Mike was saying, “Yo, Mo, we can’t have that. You’ve got to hustle a little more.” So Delonte West is sitting there and he’s seen enough and he stands up and says, “Hold up, now. You can’t be pussyfooting around like that. Everyone has to be accountable for what they do, not just some us.” Mike Brown said, “I know, Delonte. I know.” Mike knew Delonte was right. …
I’m not sure if Kobe is going to listen to Mike Brown. LeBron never really did. Here’s what we do know: Kobe will definitely be in charge.
Shaq Uncut: My Story is scheduled to be released on November 15.
Shaquille O’Neal Says To Kobe Bryant That He Doesn’t Need To Workout
Stop Speaking On Each Other
During a recent radio appearance in Italy, Kobe Bryant took a shot at former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal’s work ethic. Shaq, in an interview with the New York Times this week, responded.
Asked about Shaq, Bryant said in Italy, “I like players who workout. I use to do that 6/7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes. I need to say something to them.”
Shaq, asked by The Times for a response, didn’t exactly deny Bryant’s claim.
“I don’t need to work out. My numbers speak for itself. My three finals M.V.P.’s speaks for itself.”
O’Neal, meanwhile, also reiterated his desire to be part of an NBA team ownership group.
“I’m looking forward to bringing a team to Newark,” he said. “I haven’t spoken to Mayor Booker about it yet, but I’m working on it. I know Newark can support an NBA. team. And I’m going to be one of the guys that’s going to bring a team there.”
The New Jersey Nets are slated to play one more season at Prudential Center in Newark before relocating to Brooklyn for the 2011-12 season.
Additionally, Shaq was asked about on-air chemistry with his new broadcast partner, Charles Barkley.
”The pressing question fans want answered about the upcoming season is will Charles Barkley give you any airtime on TNT broadcasts?,” The Times asked.
“I’m going to get all the airtime,” Shaq said. “I’m going to handle him like I’ve always handled him. I’m going to knock him out if I have to.”
Jerry West Says Phil Jackson Had Absolutely No Respect For Him
The Logo
NBA Hall of Famer and longtime executive Jerry West reveals in his autobiography West By West: My Charmed, Tormented Life, which is set for release on Wednesday that he has battled depression since childhood. He also delves into his tenure as general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, including his troubled relationship with coach Phil Jackson. In the book West speaks of his hiring of Jackson, who he says had absolutely had no respect for him.
“I told (Lakers owner) Jerry Buss to hire him,” West responded. “The only thing I cared about was winning, but you want a relationship with your coach. There was no relationship. You felt, ‘This is not the way we’ve operated, and we’ve won without him.’ You can’t win without great players. As good as Phil is, he might improve a team with bad players, but he wasn’t going to win. I felt underappreciated by leadership, and leadership is ownership. As we left the Forum to Staples Center, I’d say, ‘What am I doing here? What am I doing to myself?’ Destructive feelings, a different drama every day. Leaving was the biggest relief of my life. They had just won a championship, and would win two more. It was time for me to go.”
West also says in the book that he was hospitalized for exhaustion after completing the deals to acquire Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in 1996.
“It got very discouraging,” West tells The Times. “There were so many obstacles along the way, it was a long, drawn-out thing — but Jerry Buss said, ‘Let’s keep going.’ It was easier then, because there weren’t a lot of people around (in the front office). It became a quest. We felt it was important to rejuvenate our franchise.”
Charles Barkley May Donate TNT Salary During NBA Lockout
Donate It To A Casino
Charles Barkley says he won’t take his TNT paycheck while the NBA remains in lockout mode, which could be good news for some charity.
“I don’t think it’s cool for me to take money I haven’t earned,” Barkley told ESPN 1000 in Chicago. “My decision is either going to be defer it or give it to charity.”
Barkley is among those who predict the NBA’s labor war ultimately will lead to canceling the entire season, which would mean he won’t be at the TNT desk with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.
“The problem I have is if these guys hold out all season, it’s going to be a lot of money,” Barkley told ESPN 1000. “That’s why I have to make that decision. I haven’t made the final decision.”
Bill Walton Says He Should’ve Punched Rasheed Wallace In The Face
Throw It Down
On national TV back in 2001, Portland Trail Blazers Rasheed Walllace, who registered a shocking 40 technical fouls in 77 games, decided to throw a towel at his teammates Arvydas Sabonis face during a timeout in a late regular season game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The cause of all this was Sabonis accidentally hit Wallace in the face while spiraling backwards after being barreled into by Lakers Shaquille O’Neal.
Fast forward to today and commentator Bill Walton says he regrets not punching Wallace in the face for that incident, whom he was there broadcasting the game live for ESPN.
“It was one of the lowest moments of my life,’ he said. ‘If I was any kind of a man, I would have got up from that broadcast table and walked across the court and punched Rasheed Wallace in the nose. But I let Sabonis and the game of basketball and the human race down that day.”
Shaquille O’Neal Refers Miami Heat As The Big 2
Shaqeeta Don't Play
Shaquille O’Neal hasn’t even made an official appearance on Inside the NBA on TNT as it’s newest member but is settling in nicely with his role as he has gotten off to an early start at making inflammatory statements. During a Tuesday broadcast on NBATV, O’Neal heaped praise on Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, while omitting NBA All-Star Chris Bosh.
“The Miami Heat, they’ve got a lot of great players, the ‘Big Two,’ said O’Neal, referring to James and Wade. “They will be back.”
As most NBA fans know, the Heat trio are often referred to as the Big Three. This is not the first time O’Neal has taken a jab at Bosh as back in March of 2009 he referred to Bosh as “the RuPaul of big men.”
Robert Ross Says Shaquille O’Neal Ordered Him To Murder People
Glamour Shots
TNT’s new studio analyst and recently retired Shaquille O’Neal is getting sued by Robert Ross, claiming that Shaq put together a plan to have him kidnapped by gang members back in 2008. In addition to the lawsuit filed, Ross claims that O’Neal “organized and funded a series of murders and brutal attacks on people who did him wrong.”
According to “The Official Lawsuit” obtained by TMZ, Ross alleges, “For many years O’Neal requested and directed Ross to perform many personal favors and directed him to perform various tasks including, but not limited to: ordering Ross to kill a member of the Downtown Gangster Crips who had disrespected O’Neal in front of his wife Shaunie.”
The lawsuit also claims that O’Neal “ordered to kill a woman whom he had impregnated and paid for her abortion” and “an order to kill a renown record producer.” Ross also alleges that O’Neal issued “an order to break an NBA player’s shooting arm.”
Ross never says whether the alleged hits were carried out is suing for unspecified damages.
Shaquille O’Neal Signs On With TNT
Will Shaqeeta Make An Appearance
According to several reports Shaquille O’Neal has landed a new gig and that is he has agreed to join Turner Broadcasting. This would potentially put the future Hall of Famer with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and host Ernie Johnson all in the same studio for the TNT NBA pregame show.
However on Sunday TNT spokesman Jeff Pomeroy said the network has “nothing in place at this time.”
Shaunie O’Neal Says She Was Offered A Shaquille O’Neal Sex Tape
TALENT
Shaunie O’Neal, ex-wife of Shaquille O’Neal, claimed that a former friend of the retired NBA star offered to sell her a sex tape featuring her former husband and several other women. A representative for Shaunie O’Neal said that Robert Ross, a music producer claiming that he was kidnapped by gang members in 2008 due to having a sex tape featuring Shaq, tried to sell her the tape after the couple had split.
She reportedly turned the offer down, saying she “wanted nothing to do with it” and that she never saw any footage. Ross testified over the weekend that his kidnappers beat him and demanded a videotape. He also said that he had a tape from his security camera of O’Neal having sex with a woman, but it was recorded over.
Man Testifies Kidnappers Beat Him Over Alleged Shaquille O’Neal Sex Tape
Glamour Shots
A Los Angeles music producer testified that gang members kidnapped him in 2008 and told him the reason was an “issue” with Shaquille O’Neal and his business partner. In transcripts from the preliminary criminal hearing, Robert Ross claimed the attack came because he said he had a sex tape featuring O’Neal and testified that his kidnappers beat him and demanded a “videotape.”
Excerpts from the Monday preliminary hearing for seven gang members accusing of kidnapping, robbery, assault and conspiracy in the attack on Ross appeared early Sunday on the Los Angeles Times website.
Ross testified that at one point he had a tape from his home security system of then-NBA star O’Neal having sex with a woman, but it had been recorded over. Asked by a prosecutor if he really had such a video at the time of the attack, Ross replied, “It was over. It was gone.”
O’Neal and business partner Mark Stevens have denied involvement in statements to investigators, and neither has been charged or named in the criminal complaint.
Ross told investigators he was kidnapped at gunpoint by Main Street Crips gang members in West Hollywood in February 2008 and taken to the home of the gang’s alleged leader Ladell Rowles. He said the gang members beat him, stole $15,000 in cash and some jewelry.
Ross’ testimony is scheduled to continue on July 6.
Dana White Happy To Have Shaquille O’Neal Involved With UFC
Here Comes The Shaq Fu
UFC president Dana White believes Shaquille O’Neal could either fight in MMA, or be involved as an ambasador of the sport since retiring from basketball. O’Neal helped the UFC to get the first season of The Ultimate Fighter off the ground.
“Shaq loves [MMA], Shaq’s been training for a long time,” White said on ESPN’s FirstTake. “Actually, a week before he retired, Shaq called me and he wants to be involved in the UFC somehow. He’s always been a good friend to us and I’m sure you’re going to see Shaq around the UFC a lot.”
“He said, ‘Listen, I’m gonna have a lot of free time on my hands. I love this sport, I want to get involved. I want to be a part of it. He’s not just coming in [at the last-minute], he’s been a part of it for a long time. Shaq helped us launch the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. He’s always supported us and has always been a good friend.” White said.
O’Neal previously said he’d be interested in fighting fellow giant Hong Man Choi once his playing days were over. While an Octagon scrap isn’t likely in the cards, a partnership with the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion is.
